U.S. patent application number 14/173513 was filed with the patent office on 2015-05-21 for seating unit convertible to bed.
This patent application is currently assigned to ULTRA-MEK, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is ULTRA-MEK, INC.. Invention is credited to D. STEPHEN HOFFMAN, Marcus L. Murphy.
Application Number | 20150135432 14/173513 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53171810 |
Filed Date | 2015-05-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150135432 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murphy; Marcus L. ; et
al. |
May 21, 2015 |
SEATING UNIT CONVERTIBLE TO BED
Abstract
A seating unit having a foldable bed includes: a base with an
internal cavity and a rear wall; a foldable bed that includes
separate and distinct head, intermediate and seat sections, wherein
in a folded position, the intermediate and seat sections are
generally horizontally disposed and positioned in vertically
stacked relationship, and the head section is generally vertically
disposed and positioned adjacent the rear wall of the base, and in
an unfolded position, the head, intermediate and seat sections are
generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each
other; and a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base and
the head, intermediate and seat sections that controls the movement
of the bed between the folded and unfolded positions.
Inventors: |
Murphy; Marcus L.;
(LEXINGTON, NC) ; HOFFMAN; D. STEPHEN; (HIGH
POINT, NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ULTRA-MEK, INC. |
DENTON |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ULTRA-MEK, INC.
DENTON
NC
|
Family ID: |
53171810 |
Appl. No.: |
14/173513 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61907038 |
Nov 21, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/29 ; 5/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 17/16 20130101;
A47C 17/22 20130101; A47C 7/402 20130101; A47C 17/2076 20130101;
A47C 17/162 20130101; A47C 17/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/29 ; 5/35 |
International
Class: |
A47C 17/04 20060101
A47C017/04 |
Claims
1. A seating unit that includes a foldable bed, the seating unit
comprising: a base with an internal cavity and a rear wall; a
foldable bed that includes separate and distinct head, intermediate
and seat sections, wherein in a folded position, the intermediate
and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed and
positioned in vertically stacked relationship, and the head section
is generally vertically disposed and positioned adjacent the rear
wall of the base with a support surface facing rearwardly, and in
an unfolded position, the head, intermediate and seat sections are
generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each
other, with the support surface of the head section facing
upwardly; and a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base
and the head, intermediate and seat sections that controls the
movement of the bed between the folded and unfolded positions.
2. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the head section
pivots relative to the base about a single pivot axis in moving
between the folded and unfolded positions.
3. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate
section and the seat section are pivotally attached to each
other.
4. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the head section
includes a cushion with a sloped front edge, and the intermediate
section includes a cushion with a sloped rear edge.
5. The seating unit defined in claim 1, further comprising a
backrest cushion assembly attached to the base that is movable
between raised and lowered positions.
6. The seating unit defined in claim 1, further comprising: (a) a
leg pivotally attached to the seat section and (b) a leg folding
assembly mounted to the intermediate section and the seat section,
wherein the leg is configured to reside between the intermediate
and seat sections when the seating unit is in the folded position
and under the seat section when the seating unit is in the unfolded
position.
7. The seating unit defined in claim 6, wherein the leg pivots
about a generally horizontal axis that is parallel with the
longitudinal direction of the seat unit.
8. The seating unit defined in claim 5, wherein the leg is
positioned between the intermediate section and the seat section in
the folded position.
9. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the bed folding
mechanism includes a folding assist unit that biases the bed toward
the folded position.
10. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the bed folding
mechanism includes a folding resist unit that biases the bed toward
the unfolded position.
11. The seating unit defined in claim 1, further comprising a
center leg assembly mounted to the intermediate section, the center
leg assembly residing between the intermediate section and the seat
section in the folded position and extending to support the
intermediate section from underneath in the unfolded position.
12. The seating unit defined in claim 11, wherein the center leg
assembly includes a biasing unit that biases the center leg
assembly to extend, and wherein biasing of the center leg assembly
to extend also biases the intermediate and seat sections toward the
unfolded position.
13. A seating unit that includes a foldable bed, the seating unit
comprising: a base with an internal cavity; a foldable bed that
includes a plurality of sections, wherein in a folded position, the
bed sections are folded relative to each other and stored within
the base cavity, with a seat section serving as the seat for the
seating unit, and in an unfolded position, the bed sections are
generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each
other, with the seat section being positioned forwardly of the
base; a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base and the
bed sections that controls the movement of the bed between the
folded and unfolded positions; and a backrest cushion assembly
attached to the base that is movable between raised and lowered
positions; wherein the backrest cushion assembly comprises a
plurality of pivotally interconnected links, and wherein the
pivotally interconnected links are configured and arranged such
that the backrest cushion assembly is biased toward the raised
position when it is in the raised position and is biased toward the
lowered position when it is in the lowered position.
14. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein the plurality of
sections of the foldable bed further includes a head section and an
intermediate section, wherein in the folded position, the
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and positioned in vertically stacked relationship, and the head
section is generally vertically disposed and positioned adjacent
the rear wall of the base, and in the unfolded position, the head,
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and in serial alignment with each other.
15. The seating unit defined in claim 14, wherein the head section
pivots about a single pivot axis in moving between the folded and
unfolded positions.
16. The seating unit defined in claim 14, wherein the head section
includes a support surface that faces rearwardly in the folded
position and upwardly in the unfolded position.
17. A seating unit that includes a foldable bed, the seating unit
comprising: a base with an internal cavity; a foldable bed that
includes a plurality of sections, wherein in a folded position, the
bed sections are folded relative to each other and stored within
the base cavity, with a seat section serving as the seat for the
seating unit, and in an unfolded position, the bed sections are
generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each
other, with the seat section being positioned forwardly of the
base; a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base and the
bed sections that controls the movement of the bed between the
folded and unfolded positions; and a center leg assembly mounted to
the intermediate section, the center leg assembly residing between
the intermediate section and the seat section in the folded
position and extending to support the intermediate section from
underneath in the unfolded position; wherein the center leg
assembly includes a biasing unit that biases the center leg
assembly to extend, and wherein biasing of the center leg assembly
to extend also biases the intermediate and seat sections toward the
unfolded position.
18. (canceled)
19. The seating unit defined in claim 17, wherein the plurality of
sections of the foldable bed further includes a head section and an
intermediate section, wherein in the folded position, the
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and positioned in vertically stacked relationship, and the head
section is generally vertically disposed and positioned adjacent
the rear wall of the base, and in the unfolded position, the head,
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and in serial alignment with each other.
20. The seating unit defined in claim 19, wherein the head section
pivots about a single pivot axis in moving between the folded and
unfolded positions.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present invention claims the benefit of and priority
from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/907,038, filed on
Nov. 21, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to furniture, and
more specifically a furniture unit that is convertible into a
bed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Furniture units that are convertible into beds are popular
with consumers because of their multifunctionality. Many consumers
find it very convenient to have a sofa or chair that can provide a
bed for a guest, as such a unit can eliminate the need for an
additional, separate bed. One popular sofa-bed design includes its
own complete mattress that is folded within the cavity of the sofa
during periods of non-use. One such example is illustrated in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,200,941 to Gill et al. This type of sofa-bed can be
quite heavy, and typically requires not only the separate mattress,
but also a relatively intricate mechanism to control the unfolding
and folding of the mattress.
[0004] Other furniture units lack a complete mattress, but instead
are constructed of separate sections that serve as support surfaces
of the sofa and unfold to form a flat, mattress-like sleeping
surface. Different examples of this basic concept are shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 2,740,131 to Vogel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,194 to
Bradley, U.S. Pat. No. 7,547,182 to Murphy, and U.S. Pat. No.
8,438,676 to Murphy, the disclosure of each of which is hereby
incorporated herein in its entirety. The bed shown in the latter of
the Murphy patents includes three separate sections that serve as
the mattress of the bed: a seat section; an intermediate section;
and a head section. A folding mechanism controls the movement of
the head, intermediate and seat sections between a folded position,
in which the head, intermediate, and seat sections are positioned
in a vertically stacked relationship, with the head section below
the intermediate section and the seat section above the
intermediate section, and with the head and intermediate sections
being positioned in the cavity of the housing and the seat section
serving as the "seat" for the sofa, and an unfolded position, in
which the head, intermediate and seat sections are horizontally
disposed and serially aligned to form a sleeping surface.
[0005] In spite of the existence of these different foldable beds,
it may be desirable to offer additional furniture units that can
house foldable beds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] As a first aspect, embodiments of the invention are
direction to a seating unit that includes a foldable bed. The
seating unit comprises: a base with an internal cavity and a rear
wall; a foldable bed that includes separate and distinct head,
intermediate, and seat sections, wherein in a folded position, the
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and positioned in vertically stacked relationship, and the head
section is generally vertically disposed and positioned adjacent
the rear wall of the base, and in an unfolded position, the head,
intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed
and in serial alignment with each other; and a bed folding
mechanism that is attached to the base and the head, intermediate
and seat sections that controls the movement of the bed between the
folded and unfolded positions.
[0007] As a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to seating unit that includes a foldable bed, the seating
unit comprising: a base with an internal cavity; a foldable bed
that includes a plurality of sections, wherein in a folded
position, the bed sections are folded relative to each other and
stored within the base cavity, with a seat section serving as the
seat for the seating unit, and in an unfolded position, the bed
sections are generally horizontally disposed and in serial
alignment with each other, with the seat section being positioned
forwardly of the base; a bed folding mechanism that is attached to
the base and the bed sections that controls the movement of the bed
between the folded and unfolded positions; and a backrest cushion
assembly attached to the base that is movable between raised and
lowered positions.
[0008] As a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a seating unit that includes a foldable bed, the
seating unit comprising: a base with an internal cavity; a foldable
bed that includes a plurality of sections, wherein in a folded
position, the bed sections are folded relative to each other and
stored within the base cavity, with a seat section serving as the
seat for the seating unit, and in an unfolded position, the bed
sections are generally horizontally disposed and in serial
alignment with each other, with the seat section being positioned
forwardly of the base; a bed folding mechanism that is attached to
the base and the bed sections that controls the movement of the bed
between the folded and unfolded positions; and a center leg
assembly mounted to the intermediate section, the center leg
assembly residing between the intermediate section and the seat
section in the folded position and extending to support the
intermediate section from underneath in the unfolded position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0009] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seating unit according to
embodiments of the present invention, with the bed shown in its
folded position and the backrest shown in a lowered position.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the seating unit of FIG. 1 with the
backrest in a raised position.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of the seating unit of FIG. 1 with the
bed in an intermediate position between the folded and unfolded
positions.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side view of the seating unit of FIG. 1 with the
bed in its unfolded position.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a top view of the seating unit of FIG. 1 with the
bed in the unfolded position of FIG. 4.
[0014] FIG. 6A is a side view of the unfolding mechanism of the
seating unit of FIG. 1, with the mechanism in the folded position
of FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0015] FIG. 6B is a side view of the unfolding mechanism of FIG.
6A, with the mechanism in the intermediate position of FIG. 3.
[0016] FIG. 6C is a side view of the unfolding mechanism of FIG.
6A, with the mechanism in the unfolded position of FIG. 4.
[0017] FIG. 6D is a top view of one half of the unfolding mechanism
of FIG. 6A shown in the unfolded position of FIG. 4.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of one of the front legs
of the seating unit of FIG. 1 shown in the folded position of FIGS.
1 and 2.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the front leg of FIG.
7.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a front, bottom perspective view of one of the
rear legs of the seating unit of FIG. 1 shown in the intermediate
position of FIG. 3.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a front, bottom perspective view of the rear leg
of FIG. 9 shown in the unfolded position.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a rear, bottom perspective view of the rear leg
of FIG. 9 shown in the folded position of FIG. 10.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a rear, bottom perspective view of the rear leg
of FIG. 11 shown in the intermediate position of FIG. 9.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a rear, bottom perspective view of the rear leg
of FIG. 11 shown in the unfolded position of FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention will be described more particularly
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The
invention is not intended to be limited to the illustrated
embodiments; rather, these embodiments are intended to fully and
completely disclose the invention to those skilled in this art. In
the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Thicknesses and dimensions of some components may be exaggerated
for clarity. Well-known functions or constructions may not be
described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such
as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be
interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their
meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be
interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly
so defined herein.
[0027] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As
used herein the expression "and/or" includes any and all
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0028] In addition, spatially relative terms, such as "under",
"below", "lower", "over", "upper" and the like, may be used herein
for ease of description to describe one element or feature's
relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in
the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative
terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the
device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted
in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned
over, elements described as "under" or "beneath" other elements or
features would then be oriented "over" the other elements or
features. Thus, the exemplary term "under" can encompass both an
orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented
(rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially
relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
[0029] Referring now to the figures, a seating unit, designated
broadly at 10, is illustrated in FIGS. 1-13. Referring first to
FIGS. 1 and 5, the seating unit 10 includes a base 11 having a
front wall 12, a rear wall 13 with a backrest 13a, and opposed side
walls 14 with arms 14a (see FIG. 5); these walls 12, 13 14 define a
cavity 17. A foldable bed 15 includes a seat section 16 with an
underlying seat frame 18, an intermediate section 20 with an
underlying intermediate panel 22, and a head section 24 with an
underlying head panel 26. The intermediate and head panels 22, 26
are planar panels, typically formed of wood, that underlie most or
all of cushions that provide a comfortable surface for sleeping.
The seat frame 18 comprises two open square subframes and is
described in some detail in co-assigned and co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/900,311, filed on May 22, 2013, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its
entirety.
[0030] The bed 15 is movable between a folded position, in which
the seat and intermediate sections 16, 20 are generally
horizontally disposed and positioned in vertically stacked
relationship, and the head section 24 is generally vertically
disposed and positioned adjacent the rear wall 13 and backrest 13a
of the base 11 (see FIGS. 1 and 2), and an unfolded position, in
which the seat, intermediate and head sections 16, 20, 24 are
horizontally disposed and serially aligned to form a sleeping
surface (see FIGS. 4 and 5).
[0031] The movement of the sections 16, 20, 24 of the bed 15 is
controlled by a pair of bed folding mechanisms 30, which will be
described in greater detail below. The bed folding mechanisms 30
are mirror images of each other about a vertical plane P (FIG. 5)
that bisects the seating unit 10 normal to the front wall 12; as
such, only one bed folding mechanism 30 will be described herein,
with the understanding that the description is applicable to the
other mechanism also. Two leg folding mechanisms 100 are also
mirror images of each other about the plane P, such that only one
will be described in detail hereinbelow.
[0032] For the sake of clarity, the bed 15 will be described
initially in the unfolded position of FIGS. 4 and 5; movement to
the folded position of FIGS. 1 and 2 will then follow. As used
herein to describe the relative positions of components, the terms
"lateral", "outward" and derivatives thereof indicate the
directions defined by a vector beginning at the vertical plane P
that bisects the seating unit 10 normal to the front wall 12 and
extending toward either side wall 14. Conversely, the terms
"inward", "inboard" and derivatives thereof indicate the direction
opposite the "outward" direction. Together, the "inward" and
"outward" directions comprise the "transverse" axis of the seating
unit 10. The "rear" of the unfolded bed 15 is located at the end of
the bed 15 nearest the rear wall 13 and backrest 13a of the base 11
(i.e., toward the head section 24), and the "front" of the bed 15
is located at the end nearest the seat section 16. The "front" and
"rear" directions comprise the "longitudinal" axis of the bed
15.
[0033] In addition, some components of the bed folding mechanisms
30 are illustrated herein as a series of pivotally interconnected
links. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that the pivots
between links or other components can take a variety of
configurations, such as pivot pins, rivets, bolt and nut
combinations, and the like, any of which may be suitable for use
with the present invention. Also, the shapes and configurations of
the links themselves may vary, as will be understood by those
skilled in this art. Further, some links may be omitted entirely in
some embodiments, and additional links may be included in some
embodiments.
[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5, 6C and 6D, the bed folding
mechanism 30 includes a front mounting bracket 41 that is fixed to
the inner surface of the side wall 14. A serpentine rear mounting
bracket 40 is fixed to a rear portion of the front mounting bracket
41. An L-shaped head section link 42 is connected to the rear
mounting link 40 at a pivot 44; the head section link 42 extends
upwardly from the pivot 44, then forwardly, where it is fixed to a
head section bracket 43 that is in turn fixed to the lateral edge
of the head panel 26. The pivot 44 provides an axis about which the
head section 24 rotates in moving between the folded and unfolded
positions.
[0035] The front mounting bracket 41 includes two arcuate slots
41a, 41b. An angled extension 46 is mounted generally vertically to
the forward end of the front mounting bracket 41. An intermediate
section bracket 48 is fixed to the underside of the intermediate
panel 22 and is attached to the upper end of the extension 46 at a
pivot 50. The pivot 50 defines an axis about which the intermediate
section 20 rotates in moving between the folded and unfolded
positions.
[0036] A connecting link 52 is attached to the head section link 42
at a pivot 54 and extends forwardly therefrom to a pivot 56 with
the intermediate section bracket 48. The connecting link 52 ties
together the movements of the head section 24 and the intermediate
section 20 in moving between the folded and unfolded positions.
[0037] The seating unit 10 includes two different linkages that can
assist the user in folding and unfolding the bed 15: an unfolding
assist assembly 60 and a folding assist assembly 72. Referring to
FIG. 6C, the unfolding assist assembly 60 includes a spring 62 that
is attached at its forward end to the vertex of the extension 46. A
spring link 64 is attached at its forward end to the intermediate
section bracket 48 at the pivot 56 and extends downwardly and
rearwardly to attach to the rear end of the spring 62. A control
link 68 is attached to the lower end of the extension 46 at a pivot
69 and extends upwardly to a pivot 67 with the spring link 64. The
control link 68 also includes a pin 68a that is received in the
forward end of the slot 41a of the front mounting bracket 41. In
the unfolded position of FIGS. 4 and 6C, the spring 62 is
substantially, if not entirely, relaxed.
[0038] Referring still to FIG. 6C, the folding assist assembly 72
includes a spring 74 that is attached to the rear end of the rear
mounting bracket 40 and extends forwardly therefrom. A spring link
76 is attached at its lower end to the spring 74 and at its upper
end to the forward end of the rear mounting bracket 40 at a pivot
78. The spring link 76 includes two pins 76a, 76b; the pin 76a is
received in the slot 41b of the front mounting bracket 41. A
slotted link 80 has a slot 80a that receives the pin 76b at its
rear end. A control link 82 is attached to the front mounting
bracket 41 at a pivot 84 and extends generally upwardly therefrom;
the slotted link 80 is attached to a central portion of the control
link 82 at a pivot 83. A transition link 86 is attached at its rear
end to the upper end of the control link 82 at a pivot 88 and
extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom to a pivot 90 with the
connecting link 52. In the unfolded position of FIGS. 4 and 6C, the
spring 74 is in tension.
[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 7-13, the bed 15 includes two
generally U-shaped legs 94. The legs 94 are mounted below the seat
section 16 and move between a folded position, in which the
uprights 95 of the legs 94 extend transversely toward each other
and are generally horizontally disposed beneath the seat section
16, and an unfolded position, in which the uprights 95 of the legs
94 are vertically disposed beneath the seat section 16 and rest on
an underlying surface to provide support for the seat section 16
from underneath. In the illustrated embodiment, the distance
between the uprights 95 of the legs 94 is between about 16 and 24
inches.
[0040] Folding of the legs 94 is controlled by two leg folding
mechanisms 100 as noted above (only one of which will be described
herein). Each leg folding mechanism 100 includes a front
intermediate section bracket 102 that is mounted beneath the foot
end of the intermediate section 20; the front intermediate section
bracket includes a vertical flange 102a, on which is mounted a cam
103 (FIG. 13). A seat section bracket 104 with a side flange 104a
and an end flange 104b is mounted below the seat section 16. The
brackets 102, 104, which are connected at a pivot 105, are adjacent
to each other when the bed 15 is in the unfolded position of FIGS.
10 and 13.
[0041] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a gear drive link 106 is
mounted to the front intermediate section bracket 102 at a pivot
108 and extends forwardly therefrom. A gear 110 with teeth 112 is
mounted to the seat section bracket 104 at a pivot 116 to rotate
about a transverse axis. The gear drive link 106 is attached to the
gear 110 at a pivot 114. A sprocket 120 with an extension 126 is
fixed to one of the uprights 95 of the leg 94 and is attached to
the end flange 104b of the seat mounting bracket 104 at a pivot 124
that defines a longitudinal pivot axis. The teeth 122 of the
sprocket 120 mesh with the teeth 112 of the gear 110.
[0042] Seen best in FIGS. 11-13, a stop link 130 has a horizontal
panel 130a and a vertical panel 130b. Two slots 130c, 130d are
present in the vertical panel 130b and receive, respectively, pins
104c, 104d mounted to the inner surface of the vertical flange 104a
of the seat section bracket 104. A tab 132 extends forwardly from
the horizontal panel 130a. A mounting extension 138 is fixed to and
extends inwardly from the seat section bracket 104. A pin 138a
extends downwardly from a horizontal panel of the mounting
extension 138 and engages a recess in the rearward edge of the
horizontal panel 130a of the stop link 130. The vertical panel of
the mounting extension 138 has an aperture 138c through which the
tab 132 extends. A brace 134 is pivotally attached to the sprocket
extension 126 at a pivot 136. The opposite end of the brace 134 has
a pin 134a that extends into a slot 138b in the vertical panel of
the mounting extension 138. The brace 134 also has a projection
134b that engages the tab 132 when the bed 15 is in the unfolded
position (see FIG. 10). A spring 140 is mounted to the side flange
104a of the seat section bracket 104 via the pin 104d and to the
forward end of the stop link 130 at a post 130e.
[0043] Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a bracket 150 is mounted to
the underside of the foot end of the seat section 16. A vertical
panel 151 is fixed to the bracket 150 and includes a
quarter-circular slot 150a. A tab 150c extends inwardly; a post
150d is mounted on the tab 150c. An extension member 152 is mounted
to an upright 95 of the leg 94 and extends to a pivot 160 with the
vertical panel 151. A branch of the extension member 152 extends
laterally and includes a pin 152a that is received in the slot
150a. (Another embodiment of this portion of the leg folding
mechanism is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/900,311, supra).
[0044] Referring back to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the bed 15 also includes
a center leg assembly 180 which, as can be seen in FIG. 5, is
mounted toward the center of the bed. The center leg assembly 180
includes a mounting bracket 184 fixed to the underside of the
intermediate panel 22. Two center legs 182 are mounted to the
mounting bracket 184 at pivots 186. Respective pneumatic cylinders
188 are attached to the mounting bracket 184 at pivots 189 and to
the center legs 182 at pivots 190. A cross-member 192 spans lower
portions of the center legs 192.
[0045] The seating unit 10 also includes a backrest cushion
assembly 200, which can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The backrest
cushion assembly 200 includes a mounting bracket 202 fixed to the
side panels of the backrest 13a. Upper and lower swing links 204,
208 are attached to the mounting bracket 202 at, respectively,
pivots 206, 210. A mounting bracket 212 is attached to the upper
and lower swing links 204, 208 at pivots 216, 218. A backrest plate
213 (on which is mounted one or more backrest cushions 214) is
fixed to the mounting bracket 212. A spring 220 is attached to the
upper swing link 204 and the mounting bracket 212.
[0046] To move the bed 15 from the unfolded position of FIGS. 4, 5,
6C and 6D to the folded position of FIGS. 1 and 2, a user lifts the
front end of the seat section 16 and moves it rearwardly. This
action also lifts the intermediate section 20, which, supported by
the intermediate section bracket 48, begins to pivot relative to
the base 11 (counterclockwise from the vantage point of FIGS. 2-4)
about the pivot 50. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the seat section 16
remains generally horizontal as the intermediate section 20 pivots
relative to it about the pivot 105. The rotation of the
intermediate section 20 also forces the connecting link 52
rearwardly, which drives the head section 24 to rotate
counterclockwise about the pivot 44. This motion continues until a
pin 42a on the head section link 42 contacts the lower edge of the
connecting link 52 (see FIG. 6A), at which point the head section
24 has reached its rearmost position within the cavity 17 and is
generally upright (see FIG. 2). Rotation of the intermediate
section 20 about the pivot 50 ceases when it reaches an inverted
orientation within the cavity 17 (FIG. 2). The seat section 16
completes its motion in a generally horizontal but slightly pitched
orientation (FIG. 2) in which a rail 18a mounted under the front
end of the seat frame 18 rests atop the front wall 12.
[0047] The first portion of the folding action is assisted by the
folding assist assembly 72. It can be envisioned from examination
of FIGS. 3, 4, 6B and 6C that, as connecting link 52 drives the
head section 24 about the pivot 44, the connecting link 52 also
drives the transition link 86 rearwardly. This motion causes the
control link 82 to rotate counterclockwise about the pivot 84.
Rotation of the control link 82 forces the slotted link 80
rearwardly, such that the spring link 76 is drawn clockwise about
the pivot 78 by tension in the spring 74. Thus, this portion of the
folding movement is assisted by the tension in the spring 74;
assistance ceases when, as shown in FIG. 3, the pin 76a of the
spring link 76 reaches the rear end of the slot 41b.
[0048] It can further be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 6A and 6B that, as the
intermediate section 20 rotates counterclockwise about the pivot 50
and drives the connecting link 52 rearwardly, the spring link 64 of
the unfolding assist assembly 60 is driven rearwardly and rotates
slightly counterclockwise about the pivot 67 relative to the
control link 68; in addition, the control link 68 rotates slightly
counterclockwise about the pivot 69. However, the spring 62
develops very little tension during this initial portion of the
folding action. Once the folding assist assembly 72 has ceased to
assist folding (FIGS. 3 and 6B), continued rearward movement of the
connecting link 52 forces the spring link 64 rearwardly, which
continues the counterclockwise rotation of the control link 68.
Rotation of the control link 68 stretches the spring 62, thereby
generating some resistance to folding of the bed 15 (which can help
to prevent dropping or "slamming" of the bed 15 as it closes due to
its weight). Rotation of the control link 58 ceases when the pin
68a reaches the rear end of the slot 41a (FIGS. 2 and 6A).
[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 7-13, folding of the legs 94 will be
described. As can be seen in FIGS. 9, 10 and 13, in the unfolded
position, the uprights 95 of the legs 94 extend downwardly away
from the seat section 16. At the forward end of the legs 94, the
pin 152a of the extension 152 is positioned in the upper end of the
slot 150a. At the rearward end of the legs 94, and as seen in FIGS.
9, 10 and 13, the stop link 130 is positioned forwardly (held in
that position by the cam 103), such that the pins 104c, 104d are
positioned in the rear ends of the slots 130c, 130d, which places
the spring 140 in tension. The tab 132 extends through the aperture
138c of the mounting extension 138; engagement of the tab 132 with
the projection 134b prevents the pin 134a from moving inwardly in
the slot 138b, which in turn prevents the sprocket 120 and attached
leg 94 from rotating about the pivot 124. Such rotation is also
prevented by the engagement of the teeth 122 of the sprocket 120
with the teeth 112 of the gear 110.
[0050] As an operator lifts the seat section 16 to move the bed 15
to the folded position, the pivoting of the intermediate section 20
relative to the seat section 16 about the pivot 105 rotates the cam
103 relative to the stop link 130, which enables the spring 136 to
contract to draw the stop link 130 rearwardly, thereby drawing the
tab 132 of the stop link 130 rearwardly in the aperture 138c of the
mounting extension 138. After the tab 132 is sufficiently withdrawn
to clear the projection 134 (FIGS. 9 and 12), the sprocket 120 and
adjoined leg 94 are free to rotate about the pivot 124. The
continued relative rotation of the intermediate section 20 and the
seat section 16 draws the gear drive link 106 forwardly, which
action rotates the gear 110 clockwise (from the vantage point of
FIG. 9) about the pivot 116. Rotation of the gear 110 rotates the
sprocket 120 about the pivot 124 such that the uprights 95 of the
leg 94 pivot along a longitudinal axis and extend inwardly to fold
underneath the seat section 16 and above the intermediate section
20 (FIGS. 2 and 11). During this rotation, the post 134a of the
brace 134 moves inwardly in the slot 138b of the mounting extension
138. Rotation of the foot end upright 95 also rotates the extension
152 relative to the vertical panel 151 of the foot bracket 150
about the pivot 160, such that the pin 152a moves downwardly within
the slot 150a, which provides stability and smoothness to the
movement of the leg 94.
[0051] Unfolding of the bed 15 from the folded position of FIG. 1
to the unfolded position of FIGS. 4 and 6 is initiated by lifting
the front edge of the seat section 16 and pulling it away from the
base 11 of the seating unit 10. The bed folding mechanisms 30 and
the leg folding mechanisms 100 reverse the movements described
above to enable the bed 15 to unfold, with the legs 94 being fully
extended downwardly when the gear drive link 106 is fully forward
(approximately the position of FIGS. 3, 9 and 12) and becoming
locked in the vertical disposition when the tab 132 enters the
aperture 138c of the mounting extension 138c and engages the
projection 134b of the brace 134 (FIGS. 4, 10 and 13). Movement
ceases when the rear edge of the head section link 42 strikes a pin
40a on the rear mounting bracket 40 (FIG. 6C). The folding resist
assembly 60 assists in the unfolding operation until the control
link 68 rotates clockwise sufficiently that the tension in the
spring 62 is substantially absent (approximately the point in the
movement shown in FIGS. 3 and 6B). At essentially that point in the
movement, the unfolding resist assembly 72 begins to resist the
unfolding. The forward movement of the connecting link 52 draws the
slotted link 80 forward, which rotates the spring link 76
counterclockwise about the pivot 78 and generates tension in the
spring 74. This biasing of the bed 15 away from the unfolded
position can prevent the bed 15 from slamming down into the
unfolded position due to its weight.
[0052] Also, during unfolding of the bed 15, the center leg
assembly 180 unfolds the center legs 182. In the folded position of
FIG. 2, the center legs 182 are generally parallel with the
intermediate section 20, and the pneumatic cylinders 188 are
retracted. As the intermediate section 20 rotates away from the
seat section 16, the pneumatic cylinders 188 force the center legs
182 to rotate about the pivots 186. Early in the unfolding action,
the center legs 182 press against the seat panel 18 of the seat
section 16; because the pneumatic cylinders are biased toward their
extended positions, the contact of the center legs 182 against the
seat panel 18 assists the bed 15 in unfolding. The center leg
assembly 180 is fully extended when the pneumatic cylinders 188 are
extended (FIG. 4).
[0053] Further, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, the cushion 24a of the head
section 24 has a front edge that slopes rearwardly from top to
bottom, and the cushion 20a of the intermediate section 20 has a
rear edge that slopes forwardly from bottom to top. The rear edge
of the cushion 24a meets the front edge of the cushion 20a to form
a seam therebetween that is "tighter" than would be the case if the
mating edges did not slope as described.
[0054] It should also be noted that, in FIGS. 2-4 that illustrate
the folding and unfolding of the bed 15, the backrest cushion
assembly 200 is in a raised position. In this position, the spring
220 is in tension. As such, it maintains an "over-center" condition
between pivots 206, 210 and 218, which maintains the backrest
cushion assembly 200 in the raised position. As can be seen in FIG.
1, the backrest cushion 214 can be lowered by applying a downward
force to the backrest cushion 214 and/or backrest plate 213, which
causes the upper and lower swing links 204, 208 to rotate clockwise
about the pivots 206, 210. The upper and lower swing links 204, 208
rotate through an "on-center" condition (when the links 204, 208
are generally horizontal) after which the spring 220 biases the
backrest cushion assembly 200 in the lowered position shown in FIG.
1. The assembly 200 typically remains in this position for much of
the time the seating unit 10 is in use, only being raised when the
bed 15 is to be unfolded.
[0055] Some advantages of the seating unit are described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/900,311, supra. In addition,
embodiments of the seated unit discussed and illustrated herein can
provide additional advantages. For example, by positioning the head
section 24 in a vertical orientation in the folded position, the
designer may have more flexibility with the design of the cushions
used in the seat, intermediate and head sections. Thicker cushions
can be used for these sections, as only two sections (the seat and
intermediate sections) are vertically stacked within the cavity of
the base when the seating unit is in the folded position. This may
provide more comfortable seating and/or more comfortable sleeping
for occupants, and may enable a foldable bed of this type to be
used in conjunction with a wider variety of sofas, including
"off-the-floor" styles.
[0056] Also, by including the backrest cushion assembly 200, the
designer has the flexibility to use any thickness cushion, rather
than being confined to a certain thickness in the event that the
head section of the bed also serves as the backrest. Moreover, in
some furniture units the backrest cushions are removed and laid
aside before the bed is unfolded. The backrest cushion assembly 200
keeps the backrest cushions in a neatly organized fashion even when
the bed is unfolded.
[0057] In addition, the presence of the center leg assembly 180 can
add stability to the bed 15 after it is unfolded and supporting an
occupant. Further, the use of pneumatic cylinders or other means
that bias the intermediate and seat sections toward the unfolded
position when they are folded can assist in the act of unfolding
the bed.
[0058] Those skilled in this art will appreciate that seating units
according to embodiments of the present invention may take a number
of different forms. For example, either or both of the folding
assist unit and the folding resist unit may be omitted as desired.
In addition, the mechanism employed to rotate the legs that support
the seat section may vary. For example, rather than inducing
rotation in the legs via intermeshing gears, the mechanism may
employ a series of pivoting links. Also, while the illustrated
embodiment is configured such that the legs are essentially fully
unfolded by the intermediate position shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10,
the mechanism may be configured so that the legs unfold either
earlier or later in the movement of the bed.
[0059] Further, the configuration of the legs themselves may vary.
For example, although each of the legs is illustrated as a single
generally U-shaped member, it may be configured instead as a
U-shaped loop. Alternatively, the seating unit may include four
separate leg members, each a straight member, rather than two legs
with two upright each. In other embodiments, only two or three
uprights may be included rather than four. Other configurations may
be apparent to those of skill in this art.
[0060] Finally, in some embodiments either or both of the center
leg assembly 180 and the backrest cushion assembly 200 may be
omitted.
[0061] The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and
is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary
embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in
the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are
possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing
from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention.
Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included
within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. The
invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of
the claims to be included therein.
* * * * *